


Les Oiseaux Qu'on Met En Cage

by Quackyeon



Category: VIXX
Genre: Hongbin is a bit dramatic, M/M, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, i did too much research for this, royal au, runaway bride au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-13 06:50:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19597132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quackyeon/pseuds/Quackyeon
Summary: Hongbin always wanted to chose his own path, however that is difficult as the son of a King. In an attempt to avoid an arranged marriage he joins a rag-tag group of outlaws.





	Les Oiseaux Qu'on Met En Cage

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set in the mid to late 900s in Korea during the Unified Shilla period and as such China, Japan, Mongolia and Siberia are mentioned as the name of their respective kingdoms and empires at the time.  
> Furthermore, some of the place names are historically appropriate, Seorabeol is currently called Kyong-Ju.

Hongbin tried not to roll his eyes as he was told by an eunich about the man he had been promised to. "I'm Seonggol! I am not going to marry someone who will ruin my lineage." He was angry, he had thought that by telling his father and the advisors that he would never lie with a woman would have gotten him out of having an arranged marriage, and let him free to hook up with as many stable boys as his heart pined for, and the occasional sword instructor. He tried not to lose his temper, although his raised voice was clearly failing him. He was a prince. His brother the crown prince already had a wife and a son, so he was never going to inherit the throne unless there was some bizarre accident and all of his family died. Which he believed, should have given him the freedom to be able to do what he wanted. 

"You won't have a lineage to ruin." The eunich spoke freely, which was permitted by the prince himself. He trusted that the other would tell him what he needed to hear. "But, this alliance you will create, could secure Shilla - your husband is coming from Goryeo, Kaesong." 

"Oh the son of another King, perfect, why didn't you tell me that before? Now I know that maybe I'll not even bother putting my Jeogori on, save him ripping it off when he gets here if my father wants to whore me out to our rivals." The eunich rolled his eyes, he'd dealt with many of these moments before, and as the prince stood there jeogori lying on the futon waiting to be put on. "I mean should I take the baji off and just lie in wait for the prince to come?" 

"Please, you're acting like a child." 

"No, I'm not! I just won't be my father's whore." 

"He is the King, Prince Hongbin, he is the King and you, like all people in our glorious kingdom serve our King - and you will marry this man. No one is making you lie with him, you can have a loveless marriage, and no one will know as neither of you are going to bear children." Hongbin paused, the eunich made a point, he could just marry the man and continue to fuck anyone he chose to. He didn't have to do something he didn't want to, he could stay in a separate bedroom. He didn't mind the idea of that, in a way. He would still have his life, but at the same time there would always be the idea that his father would have had control of this entire situation - plus he might have to move to the other kingdom's capital. It wasn't that he didn't like the idea of Kaesong but he didn't want to leave Seorabeol. Seorabeol was the capital of Shilla, and many of the envoys said that it was the most beautiful place in the entire country. Hongbin hadn't been allowed to travel and had not have many opportunities to do so, as he was not the crown prince, nor was he a military prince. He had no reason to leave Seorabeol and he had not. He had once asked his father if he could visit his sister in Ungjin as she'd married a prince of Baekje, but his father had declined. Although, part of this was because really Baekje was a former kingdom and it was not exactly like they were in any position to protect him. Furthermore, Hongbin guessed part of it was hiding a homosexual prince in your own kingdom was one thing but having to hide his actions in a neighbouring kingdom would have probably been more difficult, even if you owned that Kingdom now, they would still be looking for weaknesses in the Shilla royalty. Although clearly as his father was looking to marry him off to another man, he was not that ashamed of what his son preferred in a lover. "Prince Hongbin, please, your father has been very merciful, finding you a male alliance marriage - and not forcing you into a marriage with a princess to have to create an heir." 

"Only because he doesn't think me capable." Hongbin scoffed a little, although he himself also doubted he could go to bed with a woman. He understood it logistically but he had never quite met a woman who made it possible. Sure, women were great and as a child he and his friends had talked about which girls they wanted to take to bed - or while they were young the hay bails behind the stables. He just had never _actually_ done that. He'd take a few stable hands there and he had a king's guard in his bedroom once. Part of him had wanted to get caught, had wanted his father to see how he took care of the guards. He was the youngest - and maybe his desire to defy his father came from that, his parents had already done the prince and princess thing more than once so Hongbin had found himself being raised by eunichs, fighting instructors, military planners, tutors and his own siblings when they were around. Hongbin was not sure there was much he could do to get the King to even notice him, and he had known from a young age that he was born to be an alliance maker. He was going to secure the Kingdom - something Hongbin had heard so many times, he could no longer stop himself rolling his eyes when it was mentioned. 

Hongbin guessed that this was the only time in his life that his father had ever taken his own wishes into account - although he was still using them against him to force him into a marriage with a man who he had never met, a man who could be any age. Hongbin's mind suddenly whirred with the idea that he was marrying some old man who had had many lovers and probably was used to getting what he wanted and maybe needed help to get dressed and undressed and that was not something that he was willing to sign up for. He highly doubted his father had considered him in any part of making this alliance. He probably had just found out that Goryeo had a gay prince and then thought _so do I, time to get that alliance._ Hongbin hated being a tool for the state apparatus, he had spent his life fighting to be who he was. What kind of prince would he be if he just let it happen, if he just bowed to the will of his father and married this stranger. He did not want to marry a stranger, he did not really fancy himself as a married man regardless, but to marry a stranger was something else entirely. How could he just marry a stranger? 

"Your father is expecting you to be ready before their arrival, Prince Hongbin, I know this isn't what you want but I promise you - this could be so much worse. I have heard good things about your promise husband. He is strong prince. I've heard he is handsome too - maybe he would have a face that pleased you." the eunich looked at the Prince who was still not fully dressed, still thinking, still trying to find another way out of this. He had to get out of this marriage, it wasn't like he could just get married within then next hour to avoid this arranged marriage. Sure, he had friends but none of them willing to give up their standing to marry him, and none of the men he'd hooked up with had a high enough status for it to work. They could be stopped by his father, as almost all of his previous lovers had worked on the palace grounds. He stood staring at his jeogori. 

"I don't care if he's the most handsome man in all the Kingdoms." Hongbin knew he was being petulant. He knew that he was blessed to be in this situation and there were people in Shilla who would be enthused to be in the situation he was in. He - however, was not one of them. He didn't want an arranged marriage. He didn't want his father picking his husband. He didn't even want a husband, he was perfectly happy enjoying the company of men of his choosing. "So you're saying he's young, so he's going to expect me to sleep with him." 

"Hongbin," the eunich sighed, "we don't need to talk about _that_ " 

"What you don't want to talk about how my father is essentially making me an offering for his alliance? How he's just making me a whore for the Kingdom? Shall I go live with the concubine girls - I mean that's all my father thinks I'm good for." Hongbin was aware that he was quite possibly being dramatic, but this wasn't fair. Why was he the sacrifice for his fathers alliance. Surely, his diplomatic skills should have been honed enough by now to not need to offer up his youngest son in exchange for peace. He didn't want to do this. He wasn't just a chess piece for his father to move around. "Sorry." he conceded, it was inappropriate for him to talk of such things. "I just, I am scared. I don't want an arranged marriage. I don't want to just be given to someone I've never met." 

"Prince Hongbin," the eunich had softened at Hongbin's change in attitude. "You will get married to him tomorrow, or the day after that, your fathers will need to discuss a few things but they have already been getting ready and the wedding is going to be beautiful. Your mother has been planning this for months." 

"So everyone but me has known this is going to happen." Hongbin suddenly felt angry again. "No one thought it was a thing I should have been informed of? I mean it is just my life."

"Prince Hongbin, please, your father thought it best to tell you at the last minute, because you tend to overreact to things." 

"I'm overreacting? Am I overreacting? Do you think the normal reaction to you're getting married to a stranger you don't know tomorrow is going, oh yes perfect thank you, can not wait to spend my life with unknown man." He said actually turning his back on the eunich. "Because I'm not about to give anyone any thanks for this." He walked to pick up his jeogori and put it back in his wardrobe. He didn't even turn to his eunich. "You can tell my father I will not be down for dinner." 

"Do you not want to meet your husband?" 

"No, No I do not. My father wanted to keep me in the dark for as long as possible so I guess I'll stay in the dark for even longer." He knew he really was behaving badly but he really didn't care. He knew his father would make an excuse and save face for his son not bothering to make an appearance. "What do Goryeo know about me?" he asked still not facing the eunich. 

"They know you are handsome, that you were trained in military strategy and that you are the youngest of the royal family and are seonggol - although the people of Goryeo do not have blood ranks. It is something unique to our kingdom." 

"Yes, I - when my sister married that former prince of Baekje, he told us they did not have it there either." 

"Prince Hongbin, please come to dinner. You father would really want you to come to dinner." 

"I'm not going." Hongbin said quietly, "he wants to force me to marry this stranger, I'm not going to go to dinner and pretend that I can stand to look at him. I don't want to meet my husband. I cannot do this." he said as he dropped down onto a seat. "I need to be alone." he said looking out of the window and over the palace grounds. He'd grown up here, but this place suddenly no longer felt safe or like home. The eunich didn't stay long, Hongbin knew he could be stubborn and he was not going to be going to dinner with his father and pretend that everything was perfect. He knew that his father would expect him to pretend that he'd known about the wedding and was excited about it. Hongbin just couldn't find the energy to do that, he also knew that sometimes it was better to not go somewhere rather than embarrass his father. He hated this, but there wasn't even anything he could do about it. 

He stayed, legs curled up to his chest as he stared out the palace ponds that were currently covered by the lotus flowers in bloom. He kept looking out, wondering what it was like for the subjects out there. He wondered how many of them would be willing to marry someone they had never met if meant something would improve for their family. It was a Korean notion, to sacrifice oneself for the greater good, but Hongbin drew the line somewhere. He knew across the ocean the Heian nation was going through change with military leaders rising up against the royalty - which was something that Hogbin was thankful for. He might hate his father right now, but he did not want to see him having to defend his place against the military. Hongbin knew that the Goryeo royalty were stronger in the military, they were closer to the Mongols and Zhou-Han dynasty which he had heard was falling, or changing to become the Song dynasty, but he didn't feel like they were being threatened by them, but maybe his father knew differently. Maybe his marriage was really the last chance they had to secure their kingdom's future. He sighed, if he ruined it he could doom his own people to a life as subjects to an unwortthy monarchy. Who knows what would happen if Goryeo were in charge, would they bother about the southern nations? Who would make sure the seas were protected from the pirates and the soldiers from Heian who came across to steal from the local populations? Hongbin began to consider if it was worth it, if he married their prince maybe he could ensure there was at least some protection for his people who lived by the sea. 

Hongbin guessed that maybe he could make a difference, he might be able to sort everything out and maybe secure something for his own people if the worst really did happen. He just didn't know what else he could do, he was going to be trapped in a marriage for the rest of his life, the best he could hope for was a decent man. Maybe he'd be married to someone young enough that they could make a decent love match and grow old together. He wasn't sure that they could but maybe he should make a go of it for the good of his kingdom. He was just going to be a diplomatic tool and he guessed there were worse fates. 

Hongbin was startled out of his thoughts by a tailor coming in. "Your robes for the wedding." he said. Hongbin stood up, he knew that it was his duty, and he had know to expect it. He was dressed and he tried not to be irritated by it. He looked at himself in the mirror, the red and gold - colours of luck and tradition for marriage - were beautiful, his jeogori and baji had matching embroidery on it. "Did you design my grooms robes?" he asked as the tailor began to make the final adjustments. 

"No, Prince Hongbin, the Goryeo consort brought their own tailor." 

"Have you seen my groom?" 

"No, he was taken ill on the road, so they took him straight to his quarters. It is just tiredness from the travel." the tailor said, "so don't worry too much about your betrothed. His father is optimistic that he will have made a full recovery." 

"I am not worried. A delay of a few days is not much for a lifetime that we will spend together." Hongbin said, looking at the reflection of the outfit. He moved slightly so the tailor could put some of the ceremonial jewellery on him, his ceremonial sword on his waist. He looked at the reflection and wished he could feel his heart swell with anticipation and happiness. However, he just saw someone who was being trapped. He didn't want to be trapped, he didn't want to be here. The tailor helped him get out of the robes and Hongbin changed into his own sleepwear and went to move things, moving the sword and looking out of the window. He saw someone on a horse, watching him, was this his husband? The horse was a royal steed, he could tell that much, it had been bred well - but also the bridal and saddle gave it away. He wondered where they were going, wondered what they were thinking. Were they interested in the scenery? Or maybe they were running away.

Running away. 

Hongbin paused at the window, he could run away. His father would be angry, sure, but if he ran away it wasn't like he was just going to be sat around waiting for his dad to kill him. His dad couldn't kill what he couldn't find, which might not have been the most healthy approach to this situation. He stood up, moving to rummage through his wardrobe, finding some simple robes, he had some plain ones, that were still relatively nice but in comparison would blend in with the general population. He took his hair out of the bindings and knelt in front of his mirror, his hair fell down long, at his waist. As it was now freed it fell, some bits falling forward and framing his face, he'd had lovers who said he looked beautiful like this. Could he live as a woman? No, he shook his head at the thought, he was not going to do that. It made no sense. His dad would still find him and would just be more outraged with his son. 

He instead gathered his hair and held it out, reaching for the ceremonial weapon that had been left, the blade was sharp. He took a small breath, he could cut his hair. He was already dishonouring his family by running away. The honour that was kept in having long hair meant nothing to him. It was treason to cut the hair of a royal so Hongbin guessed this would be his final laugh at his father. He took a deep breath before raising the sword, he knew he had to do it in a swift motion to cut it effectively. He moved but hesitated when he got close to cutting his hair, he took a deep breath and promised himself that he could do it. He took a slow breath and put his sword down, looking at himself in the mirror. Confucius said to cut ones hair was to cut with ones parents and Hongbin wanted that, but he could cut his hair later, right? Maybe with a small sword. 

He looked at himself again in the mirror, hair tied up securely - and still in tact . He was going to do this, he really was. He took the ceremonial sword and strapped it to him. He looked in the mirror one last time. He was going to do this and there was really no going back. He moved quietly, getting down to the stables without getting caught was easier said than done - he did think he might stand a chance if it was someone from Goryeo who saw him, they wouldn't know he was the prince who was to be wed the following day. He walked past his mothers chambers and turned back to his room - he knew that wasting time was just going to lead to him backing out but he had to write her a note. A note telling her that he was running away and not to come looking for him. He wrote it down - although calligraphy was always lacking, he hoped his mother would at least get the point. He then left again, trying not to be seen, he was dressed in a way that did not befit a prince so he would have a tough time explaining it. 

When he got down to the stables he was relieved to find that one of the stable hands he had slept with was there. He managed to convince them to prepare his horse and made them swear to not reveal what had happened - although he had left a note behind so he was sure that his parents would get the jist of what happened. He just got on his horse, Jaesan and rode off, he had to leave and if he didn't get out now then he would be trapped forever in a marriage that he didn't want for himself. He just needed to get out and he had no idea where he was going, so he just went. He just kept going, until he was too tired to keep going. 

He realised too late that he really should have taken some supplies with him as he was just riding into the countryside with nothing but a sword and a horse. He really was going to die. He sighed, when he came somewhere where there would be at least a little shelter. Tomorrow, he guessed he would have to work out how he would get food or something. As he dismounted someone came out of the treeline. Hongbin's hand went to his sword, he could fight but he really didn't fancy fighting someone on his first night away from the palace. The man was a _mudang_ , a shaman, Hongbin took a small breath, hand lifting off the sword. "Guys, I told you we'd meet another person." The shaman said to no one and Hongbin began to wonder if the man was okay, until three others emerged, all tall, most of them looked like he could beat him up. 

"I-I don't have anything of value." He said quietly. "I just, I'm a runaway." Hongbin wished he could come up with some lie that would make him seem like he belonged with them, that he could be a part of their group. The shaman smiled at him, "So, what is your name, little runaway?" 

"Bin." Hongbin said, feeling worried that this wouldn't be enough. He was all too relieved when the shaman nodded, turning to the others and communicating silently with one of them before he nodded. 

"Okay Bin, tie your horse up and then join us for food." The shaman gave him a smile and then nodded over to where the other horses were tied. Hongbin walked over guiding his horse, at least it seemed like he wasn't going to be killed tonight. He wondered just what kind of group he'd stumbled across, but he guessed they were travellers and beggars can't be choosers when it comes down to it. Hongbin sighed as he stopped at the post, he didn't know how to do this, his stable hands had always tied Jaesan up and made sure he got enough rest. He stood looking at the post trying to logic his way into trying the horse up when someone broke him out of his thoughts. 

"Do you need help?" man who the other hadn't seen before was stood there. He was tall and quite handsome - although Hongbin told himself that now was not the time to be thinking about that. He didn't need to reveal himself as being a homosexual, he didn't know how these people would react. 

"Ah Y-Yeah." He stumbled over the words, all the graces of being a prince had fallen. Well, the best he could hope for was that the other man was not looking at him or thinking about a man who might like other men. "Sorta new to this. I'm Bin." Hongbin said, finally remembering how to make a sentence. He just wanted to make himself look better, look like he wasn't a disaster who'd never spent more than half a day outside of the palace grounds. 

"Shik." The man said back, "Wonshik." He mumbled, moving to take the reigns off Hongbin and gently tie Jaesan up, making sure that the horse could graze freely. He gently pet the horse speaking soft praise to it. Before he moved to check the girth, slipping three fingers between it and the horse, loosening it a little. "You'll need to tighten it back to three before we ride again." Wonshik said as he kept tending to the horse. Stopping when he got to the maldarae and Hongbin tensed. "This look valuable." 

"I... stole it, yeah I stole it." He said promising himself that that was even a bit believable. 

"Right." Wonshik said with a small nod and then went back to brushing his own horse. Hongbin gently rested against Jaesan, promising himself that he could do this and he wasn't going to go back home. He was out on his own now and he was going to be okay. "You might want to take that off the horse and put it in a bag." Wonshik threw a bag over to Hongbin who was very quick to take off the maldarae and put it in the bag. "I don't know what your deal is thief but you might want to keep it." 

Hongbin nodded and walked over to the fire that had been made. The four were cooking some sort of rice broth, Hongbin sat down next to one of them and the shaman smiled, "So, Bin. I am Hakyeon," he said with a smile, before nodding towards someone who looked like they could have possibly been from another nation, "This is Jaehwan, he's our cook and is very good at languages, comes in useful sometimes. We trade with the Japanese pirates sometimes." He then nodded to the one who was already eating. "This is Taekwoon, no one comes between him and his food, he doesn't talk much but he's good in a fight." Hakyeon then smiled and lent against the other boy, "And this is Hyuk, he's, well he's good in a fight and good at getting what he wants so he's useful and I assume you already met Wonshik." 

Hongbin nodded, Wonshik came back from the horses but didn't say anything. Hongbin was relieved, he knew that the less people who knew about the maldarae that was previously on his horse, the better, it was a signal of his status and if they knew maybe they would ransom him - which would be a waste as he knew his father wouldn't pay. Or worse they'd sell him to someone else. Or even worse they'd bring him back to his father and the husband who was waiting for him back at the palace. 

Everyone sat around the fire talked and told stories about the forests, about the lands that they'd been to and rumours they'd' heard. Hongbin sat and listened and observed, he had to work out how safe he was with these people and how much he could trust them. He wanted to keep them all at arms length for now, but eventually he might have to confess who he really was. Or maybe he was really going to start a new life. Although he probably should have picked a better name than Bin. 

They moved to sleep, lying in the open, Hakyeon handing Hongbin a blanket. The prince lay on his back looking up at the stars through the trees, he wondered what his ancestors were thinking, hoped that his father hadn't been alerted to the fact that he was missing. He hoped that being off the main road would help him remain hidden. He wanted to stay out here, prove to himself that he could do it. He wanted to be able to find his own path. He looked over noticing everyone was asleep but Wonshik who was also looking up at the sky. 

His hands moving, fingers running over his hands and Hongbin wondered if it was a nervous thing, or maybe it was a spiritual thing. Hongbin shook his head and then settled down, he had to rest, he was sure tomorrow they were going to be travelling. He'd heard Hakyeon mention something about going down to the port town of Busan - apparently they had things to trade there. Hongbin was excited at the prospect of going to Busan, although he wasn't going to be travelling in luxury but still, it was an adventure all of his own.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this so far, I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Comments are greatly appreciated. 
> 
> Follow me on twitter if you like @quack_yeon


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